'Being Transformed' - a letter from Bishop David
07 July 2009

Recently the Bishop wrote to all the clergy in Birmingham Diocese to encourage them in their prayer. This is what he said:       

‘7 times a day, 7 days a week’ on the front of the new Diocesan Prayer booklets sounds ambitious, especially for those of us who are ordained.

The Psalmist prays praise in this daily pattern in the midst of turmoil: ‘Princes persecute me without cause’ yet ‘my heart stands in awe of your words’. He is passionate: ‘I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law’. He turns again and again to the great themes of peace and hope, obedience and salvation. (Psalm 119:161-168). Once again we are reminded of the Psalmist’s wisdom, known also by the apostle Paul of giving ‘thanks in all circumstances’ (I Thessalonians 5:18).

As the world and even the church changes all around us, accepting the challenge to go deeper in prayer, nurturing our relationship with God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, will help our own transformation. (II Corinthians 3:18).
 
Three areas attracting my attention at present are the discipline of routine, the invitation to stillness and the vulnerability of openness.

In the first area, whether it is the Rule of St Benedict, Roger Forster’s Celebration of Discipline (Hodder 1980), or our Anglican pattern of the Daily Office, we need a pattern that is not just convenient and personality-friendly but also one that gives routine prayer priority in all circumstances. In my experience early mornings are secure, late evenings and mid-day possible, but afternoons and early evenings almost impossible. Yet a routine that is disciplined helps in time of over-occupation, when caught out by emptiness or when engaged in draining spiritual battle. Our recent morning readings in Romans brought me back to basics. Is the battle to get to prayer simply the old wilfulness, the sin of rebellion? I found myself renewed by grace. ‘But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life’ (Romans 6:22 NRSV).

Secondly, as physically and mentally active (some would say over-active) people, an invitation to be still in the presence of God can seem an undeserved and unexpected luxury. I was reminded that at an early morning weekly parish prayer meeting a former youth worker colleague used the space of open prayer for what looked like much needed sleep. The journey into Contemplation of people like Thomas Merton (see ‘The Seven Storey Mountain’) not only changed my perspective on what is important, but has also given me glimpses of what is essential to the adventure of life. Mark Gibbard (‘Prayer and Contemplation’ Mowbray 1985) reminds us of the importance of receiving as well as giving in prayer (p76).  When Archbishop Michael Ramsey was asked by a reporter how long he had talked to God that morning, he replied ‘for one minute. But it took me twenty-nine minutes to get there.’ (‘Michael Ramsey by Owen Chadwick Oxford 1990 p361)

Perhaps stillness is also difficult because to sit without immediate activity and to stay in prayer leads to a third challenge, of being open and therefore vulnerable.  We are often not prepared to see ourselves as others see us, though there is nothing like a couple of media appearances for arousing unrequested critical feedback.
Allowing our selves to be loved, to trust the Other enough to reveal all, to accept correction and praise in equal measure, to know the joy and awe of an unmerited intimacy, bringing to Almighty God the sacrificial practise of Christian discipleship, receiving very much more in return, all builds a growing relationship and a maturing human being.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, ‘Love to pray – feel often during the day the need for prayer, and take trouble to pray. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself. Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough to receive him and keep him as you own’. (‘Something Beautiful for God’ Collins 1971 p66). This theme is developed brilliantly by James Houston in ‘Prayer, the Transforming Friendship’(Lion 1989).

I trust we will use the summer to reflect on our own pattern of prayer and seek God’s grace in renewing and strengthening our journey with Him. This at best will not be only solitary but be stimulated by conversation and practise within our households, with colleagues and in our church fellowships. I shall be interested to know of your own inspirations and progress.

We have much for which to give thanks and an exciting future.

+David

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